Toledo, Ohio Transgender Advocate Robbed & Beaten in Daytime Attack

33 year old Candice Rose Milligan, a trans woman who is well known as a leader in the Toledo, Ohio LGBT community, is currently recovering from serious injuries she sustained in an attack in broad daylight on Monday.

According to a police report, Candice was walking home Monday afternoon when she was approached by three men shouting obscenities. Witnesses say Candice was punched and kicked by one of the suspects, then the two others joined in after she collapsed from the initial blows. After stealing her cell phone, the three suspects were said to have fled the scene.

As a result of the attack, Candice suffered a fractured skull, and has had her jaw wired shut to aid in the healing of a mandible fracture.

Local police say they have apprehended one of the three suspects they say were involved in the assault. 20-year-old Christopher Temple, of 701 Cherry St., Toledo, has been taken into custody on robbery charges after he made statements confirming he was at the scene. Police are currently searching for the other two suspects.

Aaron Eckhardt of the group BRAVO (the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization) says that violent attacks are an unfortunate and all too common reality for the LGBT community in Ohio.

Toledo Councilman Jack Ford said he wants the brutal beating to be investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and called for the those responsible to be prosecuted under federal hate crime laws.

At this time the state of Ohio has no laws on the books designed to protect LGBT rights.

Police ask that anyone with information about the Monday attack should call Crime Stoppers at (419)255-1111.